Door holder and control



y 12, 1966 v. E. SHERIDAN DOOR HOLDER AND CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR M5 SIS/GPIMN y 1956 v. E. SHERIDAN 3,259,936

DOOR HOLDER AND CONTROL Filed May 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F) i u 4o \9la 2 i" Jami- 11:5; lllllllllllllllllFa if \7 lb (5 V2 32 20 4 25 IOUnited States Patent 3,259,936 DOOR HOLDER AND CONTROL Vincent E.Sheridan, Mount Prospect, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to EatonYale & Towne Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed May 5, 1964, Ser. No.364,917 6 Claims. (Cl. 16-49) My invention relates to a novel doorcontrol that is particularly adapted to be sold with a door closer,forming a universal control unit which will supply several functions inaddition to that of closing a door.

More particularly, my novel control will utilize the main arm andforearm of a door closer for cushioning the opening movement of thedoor, for limiting the opening movement, and for holding the door open.My control is reversible, and need not be adjusted or modified whetherit is to 'be used on a right-hand or a left-hand door. After the controlis installed, its door holding action may easily be adjusted or madeinoperative, whenever that is desired.

In my invention, I equip one of the two closer arms with a limit stopfor pivotal extending movement of the arms, while connecting one armthrough yielding means to the door or door frame, as the case may be. Iso construct the stop that the two arms when extended will be in aparticular angular relation to each other, regardless of the directionin which they rotate. Also, I arrange the yielding means to yield in aparticular direction relatively to the door or door frame. The closerarms then will act with a cushioning effect to limit the openingmovement of the door, whether the control he installed on a right-handor on a left-hand door.

As a feature of my invention, I equip a pair of pivoted door closer armwith a stop pin that is mounted in the longitudinal axis of one arm,while forming a part of that arm with a pair of detent surfaces, one ateach side of the arm axis. The other of the arms has a spring pressedplunger which will coact with one detent surface when that arm rotatesagainst either side of the stop pin, so that the plunger may hold thedoor in open position regardless of the hand of the door.

As another feature, my invention utilizes novel means for controlling adoor holding detent plunger. More particularly, there is a spring thatis supported on a screw so as to press the plunger longitudinally toholding position. The screw can easily be rotated to adjust the springpressure, and therefore the door holding pressure of the plunger. As apart of this feature, the spring pressed plunger also can be rotatedmanually, There are cam means coacting with the plunger when the plungeris rotated, causing it to be retracted and held against its springpressure, so that the door holding action can easily be made effectiveor ineffective, as the user may wish.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of myinvention in order that the detailed description thereof that followsmay be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the artmay he better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features ofmy invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form thesubject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based mayreadily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures forcarrying out theseveral purposes of my invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of myinvention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention bythose skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

.FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the novel door 3,259,936 PatentedJuly 12, 1966 "ice control of my invention when used on a right-handdoor,

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating my control in its door-closed anddoor-open positions,

FIG. 3 shows the door-open position of parts of my control when it isutilized on a left-hand door,

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view on a larger scale,

FIG. 5 shows parts of my control in somewhat better detail,

FIG. 6 shows a section on the line 6-6 in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 shows a section on the line 7--7 in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows a cross section on the line 88 in FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 is somewhat like FIG. 8 but shows the retracted position of thedoor holding plunger, and

FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of parts of my inventiou.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the draw ings, the novelcontrol of my invention utilizes a pair of arms 10, 11 that are pivotedto each other by a pin 12, those arms forming the main arm and forearmof a door closer 13 mounted on the door D. The main arm 10 rotates withthe shaft of door closer 13, as will be understood by those skilled inthe art, and the forearm 11 is pivoted to the door frame F through asnubber 14 that I shall describe.

In the construction that I prefer, my novel door control includes a camplate 15, arranged as is well shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thus, the camplate 15 is so mounted in position on an end portion of the forearm 11as to extend beyond the pivot pin 12. One end of cam plate 15 is securedby a rivet 16, while the other end is held on pivot pin 12 between thearms 10, 11 and acts as a spacer for the arms. The cam plate 15 thenlies transverse to the axis of pivot 12, and will move with the forearm11 to position overlapping the main arm 10 as the arms move to extendedposition, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

I equip the cam plate 15 with a stop pin 17 that is mounted at a pointin the axis of the forearm 11, and that extends into the path in whichthe main arm 10 rotates about pivot 12. Each side of stop pin' 17 isadapted to engage the arm 10 when the arms 10, 11 move to a fullyextended position, as indicated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, so as to limit thearms 10, 11 to a particular angular relation regardless of the directionin which the arms may rotate about pivot 12. Further, as perhaps bestseen in FIG. 5, I form the cam plate 15 with a pair of detent openings18 arranged at opposed sides of the longitudinal axis of arm 11, therealso being an inclined guide lip 19 at the outer side of each opening18.

Each detent opening 18 is adapted to coact with a spring pressed plunger20 on the main arm 10, and to describe that plunger I shall refer now toFIG. 6. The plunger 20 is mounted for movement in an opening 21 in thearm 10, and has a front end portion 22 projecting at the upper side ofthe arm, and a rear end portion 23 extending at the lower side of thearm. In my preferred construction, the front end portion 22 comprises aball retained in a recess in the body of plunger 20, as by crimping theedge of the recess, and rotatable in the recess so as to move moreeasily on cam plate 15.

The plunger 20 forms a part of an assembly that is mounted in a box-likehousing 24, well shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, having two end flanges 25secured to the lower surface of main arm 10. As shown, one of theflanges 25 is held behind the head of the pivot pin 12, and the otherflange 25 is secured by a rivet 26. A leaf spring 27 is assembled in thehoning 24, a medial part of the spring pressing against a shoulder 28 onthe plunger 20, and having an opening 29 through which the rear portion23 of the plunger extends. The spring 27 is formed with a curved andforked end portion 30 that rests upon the inner surface of housing 24,while the opposed end portion of spring 27 has an opening 31 that isengaged by a screw 32.. The screw 32 is threaded into a bushing 33mounted on the main arm 10, and has a head supporting the leaf spring27. in such a way that rotation of the screw 32 will adjust the springpresure that is applied in a longitudinal direction to the plunger 20.An opening 34 in the housing 24 will allow a screw driver to be insertedso that the screw 32 may easily be rotated.

It will thus be seen that the plunger normally will be projected forengaging one of the openings 18 in the cam plate 15. The plunger 20' hasa cross pin 35 that will hold it assembled in the arm opening 21, andthat will be utilized for controlling the position of the plunger. Thus,referring to FIGS. 6 to 9, I assemble a cam Washer 36 on the plunger 20between the cross pin 35 and the main arm 10. The cam washer 36 has arectangular outline so that the washer can not rotate within the housing24, and is bent so as to have a cross section shaped like a broad V.When the plunger cross pin 35 lies in the narrow part of this V shape,as in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the plunger 20 may slide freely in alongitudinal direction, so that the spring 27 normally will hold theplunger 20 in its projected position while naturally allowing theplunger to yield.

The rear end portion 23 of plunger 20 is in aligned relation to anopening in the housing 24 and preferably extends outwardly through theopening, being easily accessible and formed with a slot so that plunger20 may be rotated by a screw driver. By rotating the'plunger 20 ninetydegrees, the cross pin 35 will be placed in a transverse position whichis shown in FIG. 9, the cam washer 36 then coacting with the cross pin35 to hold the plunger 20 in retracted position. 7

From the description that I have thus .far made, it will be seen thatthe spring pressed plunger 20 may coact with either of the detentrecesses 18 for holding the arms 10, 11 in an extended position, as inFIG. 2 or FIG. 3. Thus, the plunger 20 will be effective to hold thedoor open when the door is a right-hand door, as in FIG. 2, or aleft-hand door, as in FIG. 3. In either case, the arms 10, 11 will be inan angular relation that will enable the door D to be closed merelythrough pressure applied to the door, causing the plunger 20 to ride outof the particular detent opening 18 on cam plate 15. Should the userwish to change the door holding pressure, as may be desirable underdifferent operating conditions, he merely need adjust the screw 32.Further, should he wish at any time to make thedoor holding actionineffective, he merely need rotate the plunger 20 to the FIG. 9position.

I believe it will be understood that the .stop pin 17 will act to limitthe opening movement of the door, but to fully appreciate the limitingaction it will be necessary first to consider the snubber 14 of mycontrol. As shown in FIG. 5, the snubber 14 includes a sofiit plate 37that will be attached to a surface of the door frame F, as by screws37a. The sofiit plate 37 is equipped with a guide way 38in which is aslide 39. The slide 39 supports in pin 40 that extends outwardly througha slot 41 in the guide way 38, and that forms a pivot for the forearm 11of the door closer 13. End blocks 42, 43 are assembled in the opposedends of the guide way 38, and a coil spring 44 acts between the block 42and the slide 39 so that the pivot pin 40 normally does not move and ineffect connects forearm 11 to a fixed point on the door frame F.

Should the forearm 11 apply sufiicient pressure, the pivot pin 40naturally may move through yielding of spring 44. Thus, the snubber 44will cushionthe action of the stop pin 17 when limiting the doormovement. At this point, I call attention to the fact that the guide Way'38 of the snubber 14 is directed at right angles to the door frame F.Thus, the direction in which the pivot pin 40 yields will bear the samerelation to the arms 10, 11 whether the installation is right-hand, asin FIG. 2, or

4 left-hand, as indicated in FIG. 3, and the cushioning effeet will bethe same in either case.

I have thought it unnecessary to describe the door closer 13 in detail,because the closer may be of a conventional type having reversibleoperation that allows its use on a door of either hand. In the closer 13that I actually show, the main arm 10 can be secured to either end ofthe closer shaft, and the closer inverted, so that the action of themain arm 10 can be reversed. Closers of thattype are well known in theart, one example being shown in the patent to Check, No. 2,994,906.

It is conceivable, of course, that features of my invention may beutilized to good effect Without a door closer, the arm 10 merely beingpivoted to the door. Therefore, I do not wish actually to be limited toa control that comprises a door closer.

To review the operation of my novel door control, we may first considerthe right-hand installation that is shown in FIG. 2. As the door D movesto the dotted line open position, the closer arms 10, 11 will rotaterelatively to. each other, moving to an extended position as will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art. In that position of thearms, the stop pin 17 will lie against one side of the arm 10, limitingthe arms 10, .11 to a particular angular relation. It will be recalledthat the pivot pin 40 on the snubber 14 normally will contribute a fixedpivot point on the door frame F, but when the main arm 10 1 movesagainst the stop pin '17, that pin will stop the opening movement of thedoor and the snubber spring 44 will yield, allowing the pivot pin 40 tomove somewhat, thus cushioning the movement of the door to open aposition.

In the dotted line position of the closer arms 10, 11 in FIG. 2, thespring pressed plunger 20 will have moved over one of the lips 19 on thecam plate 15 so as to engage a corresponding detent opening 18 in thecam plate.

Plunger 20 thereby will hold the arms 10, 11 extended,

and the door D in open position. Should it now be desired to close thedoor, the angular relation of the arms 10 and 11 will enable a closingpressure on the door to move the spring pressed plunger out of itsdetent opening 18, after which the door closer 13 will act in a usualway for closing the door.

In some cases, a relatively strong door holding pressure may berequired. That may easily be achieved by rotating the screw 32 so as toincreasethe longitudinal pressure that the spring 27 applies to theplunger 20. Naturally, a strong holding pressure will require that moreforce be applied to the door to move it from open position. If desired,however, a rebound effect of the snubber spring 44 may be utilized torelease the door,

the door first being pressed in opening direction to compress snubberspring 44 somewhat.

' Should it be desired at any time to make the door holding featureineffective, that may very easily be done by rotating the spring pressedplunger 20 ninety degrees, causing the plunger to be held in retractedposition. 7

When my control is installed on a left-hand door, the operation will beexactly the same as I have described in connection with FIG. 2, but therotation of the arms will be in the opposed direction. That will causethe opposed side of stop pin 17 to engage the arm 10, and the lunger 20naturally will coact with the other of the detent openings 18. I haveillustrated theopposed rotation of the arms 10, 11 in FIG. 3, whichactually shows a mirror image of the arms in the door-open position ofFIG. 2.

Whether utilized in a right-hand or left-hand:iustal-,

lation, my novel control will operate very effectively as a unlt,contributing the usual operation of -a door closer,

and in addition acting very effectively as a limit stopwhenever that maybe desired. All of these things I achieve through an extremely novelconstruction that will contribute universal operation, and that caneasily be packaged and marketed as a unit, making it unnecessary tostock and to sell separate components having different specifications. Ibelieve, therefore, that the very considerable value of my inventionwill be understood, and the the merits of my novel door control will beappreciated by those skilled in the art.

I now claim:

1. In a door control of the class described, a door closer adapted to bemounted on .a door, a closer main arm and forearm for connecting thedoor closer to a door frame, each of said arms having a particular fixedlength, there being a first pivot about which said anms rotaterelatively to each other during opening and closing movements of thedoor, and a further pivot between the forearm and door frame, a stopportion on one of said arms for engaging the other arm as said armsrotate about the first pivot, opposed sides on said stop portion eacheffective to limit the relative rotation of the arms in one direction toan extended position for limiting the door opening movement, and meansmounting said further pivot for yielding movement in a direction atright angles relatively to the door frame whereby to cushion the actionof said stop portion while permitting effective door closer operationwhether, the closer is installed on a right-hand or left-hand door.

2. In a door control of the class described, a door closer adapted to bemounted on a door, a closer main arm and forearm for connecting the doorcloser to a door frame, each of said arms having a particular fixedlength, there being a first pivot about which said arms rotaterelatively to each other during opening and closing movements of thedoor, and a further pivot between the forearm and door frame, a stopportion on one of said arms for engaging the other arm as said armsrotate the first pivot, opposed sides on said stop portion eacheffective to limit the relative movement of the arms when said armsrotate in one direction to an extended position, detent means engagingbetween said arms to hold said arms extended when rotated in eachdirection, so as to hold the door open, and means mounting said furtherpivot for yielding movement in a direction at right angles relatively tothe door frame whereby to cushion the action of said stop portion anddetent means While permitting effective door closer operation whetherthe closer is installed on a right-hand or left-hand door.

3. In a door control of the class described having a pair of armsconnected to a door and door frame and pivoted together to rotate intoan extended position relatively to each other as the door moves to openposition, a plunger mounted for longitudinal and rotating movements inan opening in one of said pair of arms, a forward end of said plungeradapted to project from a surface of said one arm for engaging a detentsurface on the other arm when said arms are extended, a housing mountedin a longitudinal position on a rear surface of said one arm andenclosing a rearward portion of the plunger, a leaf spring mounted insaid housing and having a surface engaging the plunger to press theplunger longitudinally in the arm opening so that the forward end of theplunger will coact with the detent surface for holding the door in openposition, an opening in said housing whereby the plunger is accessiblefor manipulation to rotate the plunger, and cam means acting betweensaid rear arm surface and the plunger when said plunger is rotatedwhereby to retract and to hold the plunger retracted so that the doormay move freely relatively to open position.

4. In a door control of the class described having a pair or armsconnected to a door and door frame, and a pivot about which said armsrotate into an extended position relatively to each other as the doormoves to open position, said pivot being arranged inwardly from an endof one of said arms so that portions of said arms will move into opposedrelation to each other when said arms extend, a housing mounted on oneof said arm portions, a plunger arranged in said housing and having anend in position for engaging a detent surface on the other of said armportions, a leaf spring assembled in a position transverse to theplunger in said housing, a part of said spring engaging the plunger forpressing the plunger against the detent surface for holding the door inopen position, a screw engaging a part of said spring in position offsetrelatively to the plunger in the housing and controlling the springpressure so that said screw when rotating will adjust the door holdingeffect of the plunger, a cam washer encircling the plunger and heldagainst rotation in the housing, a part of said plunger with which saidwasher coacts upon rotation of said plunger whereby to retract and holdsaid plunger retracted, and said housing having an opening whereby theplunger is accessible for manipulation to rotate the plunger.

5. In a door control of the class described, a door closer adapted to bemounted on a door, a closer main arm and forearm for connecting the doorcloser to a door frame, said forearm being connected to the door framethrough a pivot about which the forearm rotates between a positiongenerally parallel to the frame when the door is closed, and a positionextending at an angle to the frame when the door is open, a stop portionon one of said arms for engaging the'other arm to limit the doormovement when said arms rotate to their door open position, meansmounting the forearm pivot for yielding movement in a directionsubstantially at right angles to the door frame, and including surfacessubstantially holding said pivot against movement in a directionparallel to the door frame, so as to cushion the action of said stopportion when limiting the door opening movement while also enabling thedoor closer 'to act firmly when the door is near its closed position.

6. A construction as set forth in claim 5, in which the means mountingthe forearm pivot include a sofiit plate fixed to the door frame, aslide supporting the forearm pivot, a guideway supporting the slide formovement on the sofiit plate in said direction substantially at rightangles to the door frame, and a spring acting against said slide topress said slide and pivot toward a predetermined position on the sofiitplate relatively to the door frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,663,428 3/1928Viberg.

1,827,595 10/1931 MacGuire 16-49 1,851,630 3/1932 Johnson 2922631,851,631 3/1932 Johnson 292263 1,879,274 9/ 1932 Isley 292275 1,966,2057/1934 Johnson 292263 2,104,172 1/1938 Sibley 292263 2,654,112 10/1953Milhizer 16-31 X PATRICK A. CLIFFORD, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A DOOR CONTROL OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A DOOR CLOSER ADAPTED TO BEMOUNTED ON A DOOR, A CLOSER MAIN ARM AND FOREARM FOR CONNECTING THE DOORCLOSER TO A DOOR FRAME, EACH OF SAID ARMS HAVING A PARTICULAR FIXEDLENGTH, THERE BEING A FIRST PIVOT ABOUT WHICH SAID ARMS ROTATERELATIVELY TO EACH OTHER DURING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENTS OF THEDOOR, AND A FURTHER PIVOT BETWEEN THE FOREARMS AND DOOR FRAME, A STOPPORTION ON ONE OF SAID ARMS FOR ENGAGING THE OTHER ARM AS SAID STOPPORTION ABOUT THE FIRST PIVOT, OPPOSED SIDES ON SAID STOP PORTION EACHEFFECTIVE TO LIMIT THE RELATIVE ROTATION OF THE ARMS IN ONE DIRECTION TOAN EXTENDED POSITION FOR LIMITING THE DOOR OPENING MOVEMENT, AND MEANSMOUNTING SAID FURTHER PIVOT FOR YIELDING MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION ATRIGHT ANGLES RELATIVELY TO THE DOOR FRAME WHEREBY TO CUSHION THE ACTIONOF SAID STOP PORTION WHILE PERMITTING EFFECTIVE DOOR CLOSER OPERATIONWHETHER THE CLOSER IN INSTALLED ON A RIGHT-HAND OR LEFT-HAND DOOR.